A WA teenager suffering methanol poisoning from a drink he consumed near Bali has died in a Perth hospital.

Liam Davies, 19, had been celebrating with mates on New Year's Day when he became sick after drinking an alcoholic beverage at a bar on the holiday island of Lombok.

He was taken to a local hospital for treatment and later brought to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

This morning, a hospital spokeswoman confirmed the teenager had passed away.

It’s believed he was surrounded by his family and close mates at the time.

Friends of Liam’s have taken to Facebook in the past few hours to write tributes about him.

“Rest in peace Liam we're all gonna miss you bud,” wrote one friend.

"RIP LIAM!!! You lived a good life. It was good to know you. May you rest in peace and live on in our hearts...you were taken too quickly from this world and we'll see each other in the afterlife," wrote a young woman.

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Comments on this story

Kat Posted at 3:17 PM January 06, 2013

so very sad, my sincere condolences to the family and friends.

Comment 1 of 28

Rob of Adelaide Posted at 3:20 PM January 06, 2013

The Department of Foreign Affairs must issue a warning not to consume cocktails or other spirits whilst in Indonesia.
Better still go for a Holiday in Fiji, Cook Islands or Australia..

Comment 2 of 28

Jeremy Smith of Syd Posted at 3:47 PM January 06, 2013

RIP.... Sad.

Comment 3 of 28

diana Posted at 3:57 PM January 06, 2013

@Rob Adelaide - I agree. There is an obvious pattern emerging here, and while it is not the government's job to babysit Aussies - at the same time they definitely have a responsibility to bring to our attention such serious criminality and the danger it poses to tourists.

Comment 4 of 28

ink Posted at 3:59 PM January 06, 2013

In any country it is safer to drink boiled drinks, such as tea or coffee, and bottled drinks, NOT water, as often those are simply reused bottles. Labelling is not always accurate in countries that really, really need money. Best idea, in bars, beer in a glass bottle, in restaurants, tea or coffee, stay in your group and don't act out. Then everyone has a good time.

Comment 5 of 28

John of Canberra Posted at 4:10 PM January 06, 2013

You never read of this type of thing happening in Fiji. Seriously I cannot understand why people still insist on travelling to Bali. A stabbing and methanol poisoning in one week. When an Aussie has a bit of marijuana in Bali, Indonesian police spring up everywhere, but when Aussies are being attacked or poisoned they are nowhere to be seen. What is being done to protect tourists and pro-actively target these offenders?

Comment 6 of 28

Bundy of Canberra Posted at 4:10 PM January 06, 2013

@Rob - whilst tragic if anybody going to Indonesia does not understand the risk of Methanol spiked drinks in Indonesia they should not but a ticket to go there... This is common knowledge and not the responsibility of DFAT!

Comment 7 of 28

DH Posted at 4:11 PM January 06, 2013

It is sad to hear another Australia has died while in Indonesia, when will this stop. Sincere condolences to this young mans family and friends.

Comment 8 of 28

Ron Posted at 4:25 PM January 06, 2013

That sad he is 19 years old. So wasted.

Comment 9 of 28

Alan of Perth Posted at 5:13 PM January 06, 2013

For more than 20 years Aussies have been warned about drinking from unopened containers in Bali. I have never been there as Australia is a much better place to visit from all accounts. I pity the young fellow however him, his friends and his family will have to take some of the blame for this. Wake up to yourselves Bali travelers.

Comment 10 of 28

Pie of Shanghai Posted at 5:17 PM January 06, 2013

Methanol is not added to drinks in bad intent. Produced in bad distilling process! Stick to beer...

Comment 11 of 28

distiller Posted at 5:24 PM January 06, 2013

"Methanol is a toxic chemical that is sometimes added to cheap drinks to make them more alcoholic."
This statement is factually wrong. Methanol is not 'added' to cheap drinks. It is a byproduct of the fermentation process. Normally the distillation process is used to remove this methanol. If this process is done incorrectly, the methanol can be concentrated into a few early batches of spirits.

Comment 12 of 28

MF Posted at 5:50 PM January 06, 2013

condolences to this young man and his family. @Bundy - Good to hear you are the Bali travel guru, but have you considered that maybe people don't know what they don't know, so someone like DFAT can help by informing them. It may be common knowledge for people who go there frequently, but everyone has a first trip.

Comment 13 of 28

mick Posted at 5:52 PM January 06, 2013

the Australian government should get onto Indonesia over this issue and practice as it is nothing more and nothing less than murder. Justice should be served.

Comment 14 of 28

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Posted at 6:00 PM January 06, 2013

dreadfully sad - my heart goes to his family and friends - a life lost so young. Don't bash Bali over this tho, a load of people go there and statistically this sort of thing is an anomaly - really - the news doesn't repot N amount of people went to Bali this week and all returned safely! It's just a reminder that no matter where you are, you need to be alert and careful and aware that people and clubs do some serious crap to drinks (stick to bottled beer/wine and don't drink it unless the cap is removed in front of you - OH goody here will be the comment about how someone did nothing but drink things that were sealed but still had something happen to them)

Comment 15 of 28

Elaine Weaver of Australia Posted at 6:22 PM January 06, 2013

Only drink from a bottle you have opened!

Comment 16 of 28

erica Posted at 6:29 PM January 06, 2013

This is not the responsibility of DFAT to nanny aussie adults nor is it the job of the Indonesian government to nanny tourists. Learn the risks when travelling. Its not hard. RIP to this young man.

Comment 17 of 28

Ollygt of Brisbane Posted at 6:43 PM January 06, 2013

What a terrible thing to happen to someone who had his whole life ahead of him, please let his death not be in vain and that others might learn to be more careful.

Comment 18 of 28

Zoe Posted at 6:49 PM January 06, 2013

@Bundy. I disagree. Considering how many teens go to indonesia I think they should be warned. Teens on holiday arent renowned for sensible research, most go cos everyone else does and they want a cheap holiday.
How many people get into trouble overseas then need government assistance? prevention would be better.

Comment 19 of 28

emma of darwin Posted at 7:08 PM January 06, 2013

The government are not in contol thats why this is happhening, no regulation means its fee for all to make a buck.
Bali is such a beautifull place, and it is a shame that we have all of these senceless deaths, but as i stated there is no control so you have to be extremely carefull on where you go and what you consume

Comment 20 of 28

ken ridley of Yarrawarrah Posted at 7:22 PM January 06, 2013

further to ink. Make sure you see them open beer bottles. or better still open them yourselves and if any thing is suss, run like hell.

Comment 21 of 28

Jonno Posted at 7:25 PM January 06, 2013

To Bundy of Canberra and erica, in fact it IS the responsibility of DFAT to warn Australians of the dangers they face when travelling to other countries! I would advise all Australians to not travel to a country with such poor standards, perhaps then the Indonesians will get the message that using methanol in drinks means less tourism and less money!

Comment 22 of 28

Art Williams of Napier, NZ Posted at 7:44 PM January 06, 2013

@Bundy of Canberra: A lot of the people holidaying there are just kids, teenagers who have no idea that what you buy across a bar can blind or kill you. If they've heard of poisoning there at all they probably think it's the result of buying dodgy hooch from a roadside stall. They'd expect the bars to be safe, like the ones in Australia. The true facts might be common knowledge among you and the people you know but the chances are you're not a clueless 17 or 18 year old. They need protection and clearly they're not getting it. Who knows how many others have fallen seriously ill after drinking this stuff and recovered, without their tale ever being told? As a Kiwi, I don't know what DFAT is doing to forewarn young Aussies about drinking in such places but obviously more needs to be done. Surely Australia (and other nations) can warn Indonesia that unless it sorts out the problem by regularly monitoring drinking establishments, its citizens will be discouraged from visiting and spending their tourist dollars there. Considering Indonesia must be creaming it big time from the tourism trade, it's scandalous that such cases are happening so frequently. My sympathy to Liam's family.

Comment 23 of 28

BeenThereDoneThat Posted at 8:13 PM January 06, 2013

Beer isn't the problem, it's spirits... beer is safely canned and bottled, and not worth enough money to adulterate with moonshine. I saw tourists smashing down the Arak with the locals on the side of the road, very risky behaviour, given what we now know. Hotels, bars and grog shops are no safer as there are no standards enforced, and you have no idea what you're really getting... Stick to beer, or bring your own duty-free.

Comment 24 of 28

Wake up of Sydney Posted at 8:24 PM January 06, 2013

I have no idea why Australians continue to travel to indonesia, every week you read about a dead or jail sentence. I will never be traveling there. There are so many other places to hoilday.

Comment 25 of 28

Stuart of Tweed Posted at 8:28 PM January 06, 2013

Sadly, Bali is a high risk destination for Aussie travellers. With some notable exceptions, such as Kings Cross, Gold Coast and Perth, Australia is a safe place. Holiday at home and be safe and help our battling local business too!

Comment 26 of 28

Alan Winter of Australia Posted at 10:06 PM January 06, 2013

For the life of me, I cannot understand why anyone would go to Indonesia. It is a third world country, a cheap and somewhat unsavoury destination. From what I have heard, sewers flow freely down the same streets where hotels are located. You get what you pay for.
What a tragedy. May dear Liam rest in peace and may his family find comfort.

Comment 27 of 28

Richard of Austin Texas by way of Adelaide SA (Seacliff) Posted at 2:32 AM January 11, 2013

Let us never forget the bombings that occurred in Bali as well. I, myself, do not understand Australia's obsession with holidaying in...Bali?? I understand it's cheap, but save your dollars and go somewhere better and safer. This is a shame and can easily be avoided by NOT DRINKING. Hey, Australians, did you ever think of NOT DRINKING?

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